In the same way, for such reasons, God created the intelligent world, as far as I can be curious about it, weighing the great things with a small mind. Since the first creatures were noble to Him, He invents another world, material and visible; and this is the harmonious composition of heaven, earth, and that which is between them, marvellous in the beautiful qualities of each thing, and still more worthy of wonder in the harmony and harmony of the whole, in which the one to the other and all to everything is in a beautiful relation, serving to the fullness of the one world. And by this God showed that He is able to create not only a nature that is akin to Himself, but also completely alien to Him. Natures that are clever and comprehended by the intellect alone are akin to the Divinity, but creatures subject to the senses are completely alien, and of the latter creatures that are completely inanimate and immovable are still further removed from the Divine nature.

But what do we care about that? Perhaps some overzealous lover of holidays will say. Drive the horse to the goal — be curious about what belongs to the holiday, and why we have gathered today. "I will do so, although I have begun somewhat distantly, to which I am compelled by diligence and word.

Thus the mind and the senses, so different from each other, have become within their limits and have expressed the greatness of the Founding Word, as the silent guardians and the first preachers of splendour. But there was not yet a mixture of mind and feeling, a combination of the opposite—this experience of the highest Wisdom, this generosity in the formation of natures; and not all the riches of Goodness have yet been discovered. Wishing to show this, the Skillful Word creates a living being, in which the two are brought into unity, that is, the invisible and the visible nature; creates, I say, man, and taking a body from the already created matter, and putting life into Himself (which in the word of God is known under the name of the rational soul and the image of God), He creates, as it were, a second world, great in the small; He places on earth another angel, a worshipper composed of different natures, a spectator of the visible creation, a witness of the creature contemplated, a king over it. that on earth, subject to the heavenly kingdom, earthly and heavenly, temporal and immortal, visible and contemplated, the angel who occupies the middle ground between greatness and baseness, one and the same is spirit and flesh — spirit for grace's sake, flesh for exaltation; the spirit to abide and glorify the Benefactor; the flesh, in order to suffer and, in suffering, to remember and learn how endowed he is with greatness; creates a living being, here prepared and transmigrated to another world, and (which is the end of the mystery) through striving for God, attaining deification. For the light of truth, which is moderate here, serves for me to see and bear the brightness of God, worthy of Him who binds and looses, and again brings together in the most excellent way.

This man, having honored him with freedom, so that the good should belong no less to him who chooses than to him who planted its seeds, God made in paradise (whatever that paradise meant) the creator of immortal plants, perhaps of divine thoughts, both simple and more perfect; He made him naked in simplicity and artless life, without any covering or enclosure, for such was the first-created to be. It also gives the law for the exercise of freedom. The law was a commandment: what plants he should use and what plant he should not touch. And the last was the tree of knowledge, and it was not planted maliciously, and it was not forbidden out of envy (let not the God-fighters open their mouths, and let them not imitate the serpent!); on the contrary, it was good for those who used it at the right time (because, according to my contemplation, this tree was contemplation, which can be safely approached only by those who have gained experience), but not good for the simple, even for those who are immoderate in their desire; just as perfect food is not good for the weak and those who require milk.

When, because of the envy of the devil and the deception of the woman, to which she herself was subjected as the weakest, and which she produced as skilful in persuasion (O my weakness! for the weakness of the progenitor is also my own), the man forgot the commandment given to him, and was overcome by bitter taste: then through sin he becomes an outcast, being removed at the same time from the tree of life and from paradise, and from God; he puts on leather garments (perhaps in the coarsest, mortal and opposing flesh), for the first time he knows his own shame and hides himself from God. However, even here something acquires, namely death, in the suppression of sin, so that evil does not become immortal. Thus, the punishment itself is made by philanthropy. For this, as I am sure, is what God chastises.

But in order to prevent the many sins that grew from the root of the damage from various causes and at different times, man was admonished in many ways: by the word, the Law, the Prophets, by blessings, threats, punishments, floods, fires, wars, victories, defeats, signs of heaven, signs in the air, on land, at sea, unexpected upheavals in the fate of people, cities, nations (all this was aimed at making amends for the damage); finally, a powerful remedy was needed, because of the strongest ailments: murder, adultery, perjury, man-infraction, and this last and first of all evils – idolatry and worship of the creature instead of the Creator. Since all this required the strongest method, the strongest one is given. And it was as follows: the very Word of God, eternal, invisible, incomprehensible, incorporeal, beginning from the beginning, light from light. The source of life and immortality, the imprint of the primordial Beauty, the intolerable seal, the unchangeable image, the definition and word of the Father, comes to His image, bears flesh for the sake of the flesh, unites with the rational soul for the sake of my soul, purifying like with like; is made a man in everything except sin. Though the Virgin is pregnant, in whom soul and body are purified before the Spirit (for it was necessary to honor birth and prefer chastity); yet he who came into being is God with that which was received from Him, one of the two opposites, flesh and Spirit, of which the one deified, and the other deified.

O new confusion! O wondrous dissolution! The Eternal begins to exist, the Uncreated is created, the Incomprehensible is embraced through the rational soul, mediating between the Divinity and the coarse flesh, the Rich One is poor — poor to my flesh, that I may be enriched by His Divinity, the filled is exhausted — is exhausted for a short time in His glory, that I may be a partaker of His fullness, What riches of goodness! What is this sacrament about me? I received the image of God and did not preserve Him, He takes on my flesh in order to save the image and immortalize the flesh. He enters into a second communion with us, which is much more wonderful than the first, since he then gave us the best, and now he receives the worst; but this is more godly than the first, it is higher for those who have understanding!

What will the slanderers, the wicked worshippers of the Godhead, the blasphemers of the praiseworthy, those who are enveloped in darkness at the very Light, the ignorant at the very Wisdom, those for whom Christ died in vain, the ungrateful creatures, the creatures of the evil one, say to us? Do you blame God for His beneficence? Is He so small, that He humbled Himself for you? That the Good Shepherd came to the lost sheep, laying down his life for the sheep (John 10:11), came to the mountains and hills on which you offered sacrifices, and that he found the lost one, and took what he found on the same shoulders (Luke 15:4, 5), on which he bore the cross, and brought him back to the heavenly life, and numbered him who was brought to his rank? That He lit a candle – His flesh, and swept the room – cleansing the world from sin, and found a drachma – the Royal image, overwhelmed with passions; but when He has attained the drachma, He summons the Powers that abide in His love, and makes partakers of the joy of those whom He has made witnesses of the mysteries of His economy (Luke 15:8, 9)? That the most radiant Light follows the flowing lamp, the Word follows the voice, the Bridegroom follows the bride, preparing a special nation for the Lord (Titus 2:14) and preceding the water for the Spirit? Do you blame God for this? For this reason do you consider Him inferior, that He girds Himself with a towel (John 13:4, 5) and washes the feet of the disciples, and shows the most perfect path to exaltation – humility? What humbles itself for the sake of the soul that has bowed down to the ground, in order to exalt with Itself that which is bent down by sin? How can you not blame Him for eating with tax collectors and with tax collectors, that we have tax collectors as disciples, and that He Himself acquires something? What does it acquire? Salvation of sinners. Will any one blame a physician for bending down to wounds and enduring the stench, if only to restore health to the sick? Will he also blame the one who, out of compassion, bent down to the pit in order to save the cattle that had fallen into it, according to the law (Exodus 23:2; Luke 14:5)?

It is true that He was sent, but as a man (for in Him there are two natures; so He grew weary, and hungered, and thirsted, and was in agony, and wept, according to the law of bodily nature); and if He is sent as God, what of it? By embassy understand the favor of the Father, to Whom He relates His works, in order to honor the incorruptible principle and not to appear to be an opponent of God. He is said to have been betrayed (Rom. 4:2, 5); but it is also written that He also gave Himself up (Eph. 5:2, 25). It is said that He was resurrected by the Father and lifted up (Acts 3:15; Acts 1:11), but it is also written that He raised Himself up and ascended again into heaven (1 Thessalonians 1:14; Eph. 4:10), the first in favor, the second in power. But you expose the derogatory, and pass over in silence the exalting. You reason that He suffered, and do not add that He suffered voluntarily. How much the Word suffers even now! Some worship Him as God, and unite Him; others dishonor Him as flesh, and separate Him. Against whom will He be more angry, or, rather, whom will He forgive sin? Are they those who unite, or those who cut wickedly? For the former were to be divided, and the last to be united, the former in relation to number, the latter in relation to the Godhead. Are you offended by the flesh? And the Jews were also offended. Will you not also call Him a Samaritan? I will keep silent about what happens next. Do you not believe in His Divinity? But the demons also believed in Him, O you, who are more unfaithful than the demons and more unconscious than the Jews! Some recognized the name of the Son as signifying equal honor, while others recognized God in the one who cast him out, because they were convinced of this by what they endured from Him. But you do not accept equality, nor do you confess the Divinity in Him. It would be better for you to be circumcised and become possessed by demons (I will say something ridiculous) than to have evil and ungodly thoughts in uncircumcision and in a healthy state.

Soon afterwards you will see Jesus being cleansed in the Jordan — my purification, or, rather, through this cleansing He who makes the waters clean, for He Himself, Who took away the sin of the world had no need of cleansing (John 1:29); you will also see the heavens opening (Mk 1:10); thou shalt see how Jesus receives the testimony of the Spirit kindred to Him, and is tempted, and overcomes, and is surrounded by angels who serve Him, and heals every sickness and every infirmity (Matt. 4:23), and gives life to the dead (O that He would give life to thee also, who died with unbelief!), and casteth out demons, now Himself, now through His disciples, and with a few loaves of bread He feedeth thousands, and walketh on the sea; and he is betrayed, and crucified, and tears away my sin, brought in as a lamb, and brought in as a priest, as a man is buried, and rises up as God, and then ascends into heaven, and will come with his glory. How many triumphs each mystery of Christ brings me! In all of them, the main thing is one thing – my completion, recreation and return to the first Adam!

And now it is almost gluttony, and leap about, if not like John in the womb, then like David at the repose of Kiot; respect the census, according to which you are also inscribed in heaven; worship Christmas, through which you were freed from the bonds of birth; give honor to little Bethlehem, who again led you to Paradise; bow down before the manger through which you, who have become dumb, have been brought up by the Word. Know (Isaiah commands you) as an ox of Him who has gained, and as an ass of his Lord's manger (Isaiah 1:3). Do you belong to the number of the pure, and lawful, and belching out the chewing (Lev. 11:41) of the word, and fit for sacrifice, or to the number of the unclean, not eaten or sacrificed, and you are the property of paganism; go with the star, bring with the Magi gifts – gold, and frankincense, and myrrh – as to the King, and as to God, and as to Him who died for your sake; glorify with the shepherds, rejoice with the Angels, sing with the Archangels; let the common triumph of the heavenly and earthly Powers be formed. For I am sure that the heavenly Powers rejoice and triumph now with us; for they are lovers of mankind and lovers of God, just as David represents them ascending with Christ after His suffering, meeting and commanding one another to lift up the gates (Psalm 2:3,7). Only one thing you can hate from what happened at the Nativity of Christ is Herod's infanticide, or rather, in it is almost the sacrifice of the same age as Christ, which preceded the new slaughter. If Christ flees to Egypt, flee with Him willingly. It is good to flee with the persecuted Christ. If He tarries in Egypt, call upon Him out of Egypt, giving Him good worship there. Walk blamelessly through all the ages and powers of Christ. As a disciple of Christ, cleanse yourself, be circumcised, take off the veil that has been lying on you since birth, then teach in the temple, drive out those who sell holy things. Endure, if necessary, stoning, for I know well that thou shalt hide thyself from those who throw stones, and thou shalt pass in the midst of them as God, for the word is not stoned. If you are brought to Herod, answer him no more. He will respect your silence more than the long speeches of others. If you are whipped — seek and other things, taste gall for the first taste, drink vinegar, seek spitting, accept blows on the cheek and beatings. Be crowned with thorns, the severity of your life according to God, put on a scarlet robe, take up a reed, let those who curse the truth bow down before you. Finally, be gladly crucified, die, and be buried with Christ, that with Him you may be resurrected, and glorified, and reign, seeing God in all His majesty, and visible to Him, God in the Trinity, worshipped and glorified, Whom we pray that may be revealed to us now, as far as it is possible for prisoners of the flesh, in Christ Jesus our Lord. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

HOMILY 39. On the Holy Lights of the Lord's Appearances

Again Jesus is mine, and again a sacrament — not a deceptive and unseemly sacrament, not a sacrament of pagan error and drunkenness (as I call the sacraments respected by the pagans, and as, I think, every sane person will call them); but the mystery is sublime and divine, imparting to us a heavenly light! For the holy day of lights, which we have attained and which we have now been vouchsafed to celebrate, has its beginning with the baptism of my Christ, the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9), and it also cleanses me and helps that light which we, having first received from Christ from above, darkened and made merged through sin.

Hearken therefore to the Divine voice, which for me, who instruct such mysteries (and it would be good if only for you!), cries out very distinctly: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12). And for this purpose turn your gaze to Him, and be enlightened, and your faces, marked with true light, shall not be ashamed (Psalm 33:6). Time for rebirth - reborn again! A time of recreation—let us receive the first Adam! Let us not remain what we are now, but become what we were created. The light is in darkness, that is, in this life – the life of the flesh, and although it persecutes Him, the darkness does not encompass Him (John 1:5), that is, the enemy force, which shamelessly approaches the visible Adam, but clashes with God and yields victory; wherefore we, putting aside darkness, shall draw near to the light, and then, as children of perfect Light, shall become perfect light!